Daily TribuneDuring a Department of Labor and Employment conference on Monday, Baldwin admitted he has never held an alien employment permit since he began working in the Philippines 13 years ago. Baldwin and his legal counsel argued that his permanent resident visa exempted him from the permit requirement.
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The Department of Justice (DoJ) will ultimately decide whether to include student managers and ball boys in the hazing charges recommended against the Ateneo de Manila University men’s basketball coaching staff, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Monday.
To recall, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) recommended filing charges under the Anti-Hazing Act following the 8 June drowning deaths of student-athletes Rene Baterbonia and Divine Adili during a team-building camp in Dipaculao, Aurora province.
Speaking at a press briefing at Camp Crame, Remulla cited that while investigators recommended charging everyone present, prosecutors may drop certain individuals from the final roster of defendants or treat them as state witnesses.
“Although this was our recommendation, some participants could still be excluded from the final charge list, especially if it is proven they had no knowledge of any unlawful intent,” Remulla said. “Our priority is holding those who planned and intentionally inflicted hardships on these student-athletes accountable,” he added.
Under the Anti-Hazing Act, the mere presence of an individual during a hazing activity constitutes prima facie evidence of participation as a principal. However, Remulla clarified that no other student-athletes who attended the training camp were recommended for prosecution, classifying them instead as victims of violent training.
The DILG urged the justice department to examine potential liabilities of Ateneo de Manila University administrators, citing their legal obligation to act in loco parentis (in place of a parent) regarding student safety.
The PNP-CIDG’s criminal complaint targets former head coach Thomas Anthony “Tab” Baldwin, strength and conditioning coaches Grant Dearns and Caesar Vincent Elumba, and assistant coaches Dean Caesar Castaño, Sandro Nicholas Soriano and Reynaldo Jacinto Jr. Also named are student managers Paolo Manuel Adevoso and Andrew Lorenzo Salud, physical therapist John Eric Rueca, and utility staff members Aris Pronce and Joel Rapa.
The development coincides with a separate, ongoing investigation into Baldwin’s legal status to work in the country.
During a Department of Labor and Employment conference on Monday, Baldwin admitted he has never held an alien employment permit since he began working in the Philippines 13 years ago. Baldwin and his legal counsel argued that his permanent resident visa exempted him from the permit requirement. Labor records read by Undersecretary Gerard Mosquera countered that claim, confirming Baldwin possesses neither an employment permit nor a certificate of exemption.
Under the Philippine Labor Code, all foreign nationals engaged in gainful employment must obtain an active permit. DoLE Secretary Francis N. Tolentino stressed that the employment inquiry is a self-directed probe focused entirely on regulatory compliance, separate from any criminal investigations handled by law enforcement.
Following Baldwin’s resignation last 15 June, labor officials issued a subpoena requiring Ateneo administrators to appear at a hearing on 9 July to review previous employment contracts and clarify the university’s hiring practices.
